Book cover protector



July 5, 1938. 1.. 1.. DOUGLAS BOOK COVER PROTECTOR Filed June 14, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ll lll lllul .l.|||

3 wen Moo L Qf/f Davy/ax July 5, 1938. L. DOUGLAS BOOK COVER PROTECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 14, 1935 Patented July 5, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BOOK COVER PROTECTOR Leslie L. Douglas, Dallas, Tex.

Application June 14, 1935, Serial No. 26,605

3 Claims. (01. 281-34) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in book cover protectors.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved book cover protector which may be readily applied to books of various sizes.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved book cover protector made of a single rectangular sheet of material which has a plurality of corner tabs detachably secured l0 thereto, the sheet being so constructed that after said tabs have been detached, said sheet may be folded around a book cover and the tabs then folded around the corners to reinforce the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved book cover protector which is so constructed that it may be applied to a cover of any size by merely folding the same, whereby all cutting of the protector is dispensed with and the application of said protector is greatly sim- A further object of the invention is to provide an improved one piece protector for a book cover which may be readily folded around a cover and attached at a maximum number of points to pre- Vent disengagement of the protector, and which is provided with increased reinforcement at its corners, the reinforcing tabs for the corners being so constructed that they are of the same size regardless of the size of the appearance of the book; said cover being adapted to better fit the book regardless of the latters size, whereby the life of the book protector is increased.

A construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described, together with other features of the invention.

. The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings in which an example of the invention is shown, and

wherein:

Figure l is a face view of the outer or obverse side of the protector sheet,

Figure 2 is a face view of the inner side, and showing the reinforcing tabs detached and also showing the top and bottom edges of the protector folded down over a book cover shown by dotted lines,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 and showing the ends of said protector folded inwardly over the ends of the book cover,

Figure 4 is an inner face view of one of the corners showing the first step of attaching one of the corner reinforcing tabs,

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 showing the next step in attaching the corner tab,

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the next step,

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing the completed corner,

Figure 8 is an outer face view of one of the corner tabs, and

Figure 9 is a view showing its inner or gummed side, with the cut-out removed.

In the drawings, the numeral ii] designates a sheet of heavy paper, or other suitable material from which the protector is made. The sheet is rectangular in shape and has four, square reinforcing tabs II detachably secured by perforations l2 to one end. The tabs are secured to each other by perforations l3 and it is noted that said tabs are of such size that the four tabs are equal to the width of the protector If]. This makes it possible in the manufacture to form a sheet the combined length of the sheet [6 and one of the tabs and then perforate the same along plained. Each corner of the sheet ii! is coated o with a suitable adhesive i5.

In fitting the protector to a book cover, the four reinforcing tabs H are first detached from the sheet If], being torn along the perforations i2.

The sheet is then inverted so that its inner face 3 lies upwardly, and the top and bottom edges l6 and I! (Figure 2) are folded inwardly along one of the guide lines I 4, whereby the width of the sheet is reduced to the exact width of the book. The book, as indicated by dotted lines A, is then placed on the folded protector, and the end flaps l8 folded along the edges of the book.

The book is then removed, and the ends i8 folded inwardly against the inner face of the sheet Ill, as shown in Figure 3. It is noted that the top and bottom of the end flaps I8 are of a double thickness due to the inward folding of the edges 16 and ll of the sheet. Due to such folding, the adhesive portion l5 of each corner of the sheet Ill becomes a part of the end flaps IS.

is secured to said edges, thereby forming a pocket I 9 (Figure 3) at each end of the protector. This pocket extends the entire width of the cover and receives the outer edges of the book cover A, whereby the protector is secured to said cover. It is optional whether the end flaps I8 are fastened to the edges 16 and I? while the book A is positioned on the protector, or whether they are first fastened and the cover later inserted in the pockets [9.

It has been found practical to first attach one of the end flap-s l8 and then insert the edge of the book cover into the pocket [9. The book is then closed and the sheet Ill bent therearound 5 until the other end flap is may be bent around the other edge of the book cover, whereby said flap may be folded properly so as to assure its being attached in exactly the correct position. It is obvious that the measurements may bemade with the book A closed, which assures the protector being snugly engaged with the cover, whereby a perfect fit is had. When the protector is att ched to the book cover while the book is lying flat thereon in an open position, it will be seen that when the book is subsequently closed, the protector is stretched so tight over the back of the book that it prevents closing of said book. Thus, an allowance must always be made for this in fitting protectors of the present type, and since the amount of allowance must be guessed at, is practically impossible to obtain a perfect fit because measurement must be made while the book is lying fiat in an open position.

After the cover has been inserted in the pockets l9, as explained, the next step is to reinforce the corners. It is noted that this time, there is already a triple tlnckness of material on the outer side and a single thickness on the inner side at each corner of the book cover due to the folding of the edges l8 and H and the end flaps I8. Since each corner tab H is attached in the same way, a description of one will suffice.

As clearly shown in Figures 8 and 9, the tabs H are first separated by tearing along the perforations E3. Each tab is substantially square in shape and is provided with a perforated tongue 20 which extends from one corner to the center thereof. One entire back of each tab is coated with adhesive 2! (Figure 9). In attaching the tab, the tongue 29 is first removed. This tongue is preferabiy tapered toward the center of the tab, whereby when said tongue is removed, a tapered slot 22 is formed in the tab. If desired the slot may be punched out when the cover is manufactured which wouid eliminate the perforated tongue. It would be possible to merely slit each tab from one corner to its center, whereby the tab may be folded around the corner, as will be explained. However, a slit will prevent the tab from snugly fitting the corner although a tab so applied will reinforce the same. 7

One of the sides of the tab which is adjacent the slot 22 is then placed on the outer face of the corner and secured thereto by the adhesive, as clearly shown in Figure 4. The tab is then folded inwardly over the end fiap it, (Figure 5) after which it is folded down onto the outer side of the corner, over that portion of the tab which was first secured to the corner, (Figure 7). This folding forms projecting tongues 23 whichare then folded inwardly over the corner onto the tab H which was previously folded over the end each tab I l when folded, as shown and described, will provide an additional double thickness of material on both inner and outer sides of each corner. Since there was already a triple thickness on the outside and a single thickness on the inside of the book cover due to the inward folding of the edges 16 and I1 and end fiap l8, it is obvious that application of the tabs H increases the material to eight thicknesses at each corner, that is, five thicknesses on the outer side and three thicknesses on the. inner side, which as' sures the corners outlasting the life of the cover.

adhesive, said tab is not only secured to the sheet [0 but is also secured to itself because it folds over itself, as described. It is further pointed out that the folding of the top and bottom edges [6 and l! of the sheet provide a double thickness of material along the top and bottom edges of the book cover between the end pockets l9.

The detachability of the'corner reinforcing tabs H by means of the perforations permit the cover to be furnished the user in a singie piece. No cutting is necessary to perfectly fit the protector to the books of various sizes. The size of the corner tabs is always the same regardless of the book size which is not true in covers wherein cutting is necessary to form the corner tabs. The same size reinforcing corner tabs make for a neater appearance and do not interfere with or hide any advertising indicia which may be displayed on the outer face of the protector, which adds to the advertising value. Further, there is increased surface for receiving the adhesive coating which assures the positive fastening of the corner reinforcement in position, whereby all danger of its detachment from the cover is eliminated and at the same time making the reinforcement integrally solid and materially increasing the strength and durability thereof.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A corner reinforcing tab having'a substantially square shape and having a slot extending from one corner to its center formed therein, the

tab having one side coated with adhesive and being adapted to be folded along diagonal lines around the corner of a book cover.

2. A corner reinforcement for book cover protectors comprising an originally square tab ,of sheet material having a slot extending from its center to one corner thereof and foldable successively in four triangular sections along diag- -Since one entire side of each tab is coated with onal lines extending from the center of the tab 7 to its three other corners to provide a double thickness of the material of the reinforcement on opposite sides of the corner portion of the cover protector. V V V v 3. A corner reinforcing tab of sheet material having an originally square shape and formed with a removable strip extending from its center to one corner thereof and the material being weakened along the longitudinal edges and inner end of the strip for its severance, whereby when the strip is removed an open-ended diagonal slot is produced in the tab so that the tab is foldable in four triangular sections along diagonallines extending from the center of the tab to its three other corners to provide a triangular protector corner reinforcement of double thickness on each side thereof. Q V

LESLIE L. DOUGLAS.

flap 18 (Figure 7). Thus, it will be seen that 

